Learning From Mistakes
by Tardis972
Summary: Set of Oneshots, Summary inside. Rated T on the safe side.


**This will be a mini-series of one-shots about different cats, all with different problems, but who could have learned from each other's mistakes.**

**This one is about a kittypet who has to choose between her safety and her kits.**

** Enjoy, _Wildwood Harmony_**_  
_

* * *

_Prologue: Innocent? _

"Please," I whispered, my heart leaping into my throat. "Not again!" An elegant black tomcat strode out of the bushes and twined his tail around mine, I shuddered. "Don't be afraid," he purred. "I won't hurt you." I pulled away but it was too late, he pinned me down before I could get anywhere. "Stop running." he mewed, starting to sound impatient. "Why me?" I asked, my voice trembling. "You said yourself that I was just a silly kittypet!" the dark black tom's eyes softened. "but I need a she-cat to help me." his gentle purr quickly turned into laughter. "And I know you won't put up a fight!" I writhed and twisted but the cat held tight. "Come on," he snarled. "I don't have all night!" I lay there, helpless against his sharp teeth and claws. A minute later he sheathed his claws and pushed me roughly onto my side. "I expect kits soon!" he purred over his shoulder as he disappeared into the bushes. "Yes, Darkwind." I mewed wearily, dragging myself to a corner of the garden and into sleep full of troubled dreams...

-

Part one: Kits

One morning I woke up with a horrible ache in my stomach. I mewed franticly to get my Housefolk's attention and they took me to the vet. From what I could understand of their talk, I was going to have kittens soon! I was overjoyed, until I realized what it meant for the poor little ones.

"Kits?" Darkwind mewed greedily when I told him. "You're having kits?" "Yes, in two months." I purred. He stared hard at me. "No you aren't!" he announced, getting ready to pounce. "If you mate with me, you'll kill the kittens!" I hissed franticly, my mind racing. Darkwind stopped in his tracks. "You think so?" he asked quietly. "I'm sure!" I meowed, relaxing. "I'll be back in two moons!" he hissed, glaring back at me as he disappeared into the forest.

-

Part two: Newborn

It had been a month and a half since I had told Darkwind about the kittens and I was feeling restless. I had already figured out where I was going to have the kits and now I had nothing to do. I went out into the garden for a nap, but I didn't get one. I was bowled over by a huge black shadow that hissed. "I've been waiting for a long time, where are they?" "Darkwind?" I mewed; it certainly hadn't been two months yet. "Of course!" Darkwind snapped, looking impatient. "Where are they, I don't have all day." I haven't had them-- Ow!" I yelped as streaks of pain shot through my body. Darkwind purred, "Tomorrow then." he said, backing into the bushes.

I limped over to my warm nest of moss and rags and shuddered with another contraction. After a couple hours I had eight little lives huddled up against my belly. I was exhausted but I didn't go to sleep yet, I had to make sure that they were all okay. The fifth kitten was the smallest, but she and the others were healthy. I fell into a half sleep, one eye closed and one eye open to keep an eye on my kits. A while later I felt something near me and I jolted awake! It was one of the human kits, and she was trying to pick up my smallest kitten! I hissed angrily and she ran away yelling. I licked the kittens to check them all, but one was gone! I looked franticly and saw that one had crawled away from me. I picked him up and placed him on my flank to keep him warm. I was a mother!

-

Part three: Just playing

"Mummy, mummy!" mewed Lilac, my smallest kitten. "Acorn and Oak won't let me play with the moss-ball!" I laughed as I saw my two biggest kits play-fighting, the moss-ball was right next to them. I grabbed it quickly and tossed it over to where Lilac and her sisters Willow, Hazel and Holly were playing. "Hey!" mewed Walnut, padding over to me along with his brother Maple. "We were playing with that!" they chorused, shooting angry looks at their sisters. I was prepared for this and threw another moss-ball at the ridiculous kittens. "Lunchtime!" I purred as I saw the tall human coming over with our food. The kittens were a month old and they loved to eat my food. "Yay!" they yelled, jumping and falling over each other. "Alright, line up!" I meowed. First came Lilac, then Maple, Hazel, Walnut, Willow, Holly, Acorn, Oak, _then_ me. I was dreading what came after lunch; Darkwind was coming to see his kittens and to choose which ones he was going to take.

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Part four: Decision

"Hmmm." I was sitting with my tail curled around the kittens, while Darkwind looked them up and down. "Hmmm," he said, "I think I'll take that one, and those two brown ones...Oh, and the littlest one...and the other two toms...actually, you know what?" he asked. "What?" I meowed, trying to keep the fear and impatience out of my voice. "I'll take all of them." "What?!?!" I yowled, curling my tail even tighter around the protesting kittens. "I'm taking all of them." It was then that I made the craziest, but best decision of my life. "I'm going with you." I said. It was then I realized that this had been his intention all along. With more than a hint of a smile on his face, Darkwind purred, "Of course."

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_Epilogue: Into the wild_

The next day, Darkwind returned with two other Clan cats to help 'escort' me and the kittens. As Darkwind half helped, half dragged me over the fence; I cast one last backwards look, and wished I didn't. We hit the ground and Darkwind took off running. I had to run faster then I had ever dreamed, just to keep up with him. However, I was determined to stay with my kits. After what seemed like days, we got to their camp and I was ushered into a mass of brambles that they called a nursery. My kits were thrown on top of me and I was almost too exhausted even to get to the pile of moss someone had prepared. Nevertheless, I got my kits there, and just before I fell asleep, I heard someone snarl _'Welcome to the Clans, Myara.'_


End file.
